OS X: Keyboard shortcuts

OS X: Keyboard shortcuts

I love my Mac world.

Literally copied/pasted from Apple’s site for all the INCREDIBLY USEFUL keyboard shortcuts to do things on your Mac by pressing a combination of keys on your keyboard.

Using keyboard shortcuts

To use a keyboard shortcut, press a modifier key at the same time as a character key. For example, pressing the Command key (it has a ⌘ symbol) and then the “c” key copies whatever is currently selected to the Clipboard. This is also known as the Command-C keyboard shortcut. You can see the keys that map to many shortcuts by looking in an app’s menus.

A modifier key is a part of many keyboard shortcuts. A modifier key alters the way other keystrokes or mouse/trackpad clicks are interpreted by OS X. Modifier keys include: Command, Shift, Option, Control, Caps Lock, and the fn key. These keys are represented by special symbols when you see them in menus and other parts of OS X:

⌘

Command key

⌃

Control key

⌥

Option key

⇧

Shift Key

⇪

Caps Lock

fn

Function Key

When the fn key is used with the top row of keys on your keyboard, it makes them perform a different function. For example, if a keyboard shortcut is Control-F2, you can press fn-Control-Brightness on your keyboard.. If you look closely at the Brightness key at the top of your keyboard, there is an F2 symbol indicating that this key works as a function ey (F2 or function 2) when you hold fn on the keyboard.

If you use a non-Apple keyboard that includes a Windows key, the Alt key is the same thing as pressing Option, and the Windows key is the same thing as the Command key. You can change how these keys are interpreted from the Keyboard pane of System Preferences.

Cut, copy and paste

You can use these shortcuts in most apps to cut, copy, or paste a selected item. This includes text, pictures, music, and more. You can even copy and paste files in the Finder to copy them to a new location.

Key combination

What it does

Command-C

Copy the selected data to the Clipboard

Command-X

Remove the selected item and place a copy on the Clipboard

Command-V

Place a copy of (paste) the Clipboard contents into the current document or app

Taking screenshots

Use these shortcuts to take a picture of what you see on your screen. You can also use Grab to takescreenshots, an app located in the Utilities folder.

Key combination

What it does

Command-Shift-3

Capture the screen to a file

Command-Shift-Control-3

Capture the screen to the Clipboard

Command-Shift-4

Capture a selection of the screen to a file, or press the spacebar to capture just a window

Command-Shift-Control-4

Capture a selection of the screen to the Clipboard, or press the spacebar to capture just a window

Startup shortcuts

Use these key combinations to change how your computer starts up. Press and hold the key or combination of keys immediately after starting your Mac until the expected function occurs or appears. For example, press and hold the Option key during startup until the Startup Manager appears.

Note: If you’re using a keyboard manufactured by someone other than Apple, the Alt key is usually the same key as the Option key. If this modifier doesn’t appear to work, try using an Apple keyboard instead.

Note: You may need to enable “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys” in Keyboard preferences for the VoiceOver menu and utility to work.

Full keyboard access

Full keyboard access lets you use your keyboard to navigate and interact with items on the screen. Use these shortcuts to select and adjust controls such as text fields and sliders. This setting can be toggled by pressing Control-F7, or by selecting Full Keyboard Access from the Shortcuts pane of Keyboard preferences in System Preferences.

Key combination

What it does

Tab

Move to the next control

Shift-Tab

Move to the previous control

Control-Tab

Move to the next control when a text field is selected

Shift-Control-Tab

Move focus to the previous grouping of controls

Arrow keys

Move to the adjacent item in a list, tab group, or menu or
Move sliders and adjusters (vertical up and down arrows used to increase and decrease values)

Control-Arrow keys

Move to a control adjacent to the text field

Space bar

Select the highlighted menu item

Return or Enter

Click the default button or perform the default action

Esc

Click the Cancel button or
Close a menu without choosing an item

Shift-Control-F6

Move focus to the previous panel

Control-F7

Temporarily override the current keyboard access mode in windows and dialogs

Control-F8

Move to the status menus in the menu bar

Command-Accent (`)

Activate the next open window in the frontmost app

Command-Shift-Accent (`)

Activate the previous open window in the frontmost app

Command-Option-Accent (`)

Move focus to the window drawer

You can navigate the menus in the menu bar without using a mouse or trackpad. To put the focus in the menu bar, press Control-F2 (fn-Control-F2 on portable keyboards). Then use the key combinations listed below.

Key combination

What it does

Left Arrow and Right Arrow

Move from menu to menu

Return

Open a selected menu

Up Arrow and Down Arrow

Move to menu items in the selected menu

Type the menu item’s name

Jump to a menu item in the selected menu

Return

Select a menu item

Accessibility – Mouse Keys

When Mouse Keys is turned on in Accessibility preferences, you can use the keyboard or numeric keypad keys to move the mouse pointer.

Key combination

What it does

8 or numeric keypad 8

Move Up

K or numeric keypad 2

Move Down

U or numeric keypad 4

Move Left

O or numeric keypad 6

Move Right

J or numeric keypad 1

Move Diagonally Bottom Left

L or numeric keypad 3

Move Diagonally Bottom Right

7 or numeric keypad 7

Move Diagonally Top Left

9 or numeric keypad 9

Move Diagonally Top Right

I or numeric keypad 5

Press Mouse Button

M or numeric keypad 0

Hold Mouse Button

. (period key)

Release Hold Mouse Button

Finder shortcuts

Key combination

What it does

Command-A

Select all files in the frontmost window

Command-Option-A

Deselect all items

Command-C

Copy selected files, then use Paste or Move to move the files.

Command-D

Duplicate the selected files

Command-E

Eject

Command-F

Find any matching Spotlight attribute

Command-I

Show the Get Info window for a selected file

Command-Shift-C

Open the Computer window

Command-Shift-D

Open the desktop folder

Command-Shift-F

Show the All My Files window

Command-Shift-G

Go to Folder

Command-Shift-H

Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account

Command-Shift-I

Open iCloud Drive

Command-Shift-K

Open the Network window

Command-Shift-L

Open the Downloads folder

Command-Shift-O

Open the Documents folder

Command-Shift-R

Open the AirDrop window

Command-Shift-U

Open the Utilities folder

Command-Control-T

Add to Sidebar (OS X Mavericks)

Command-Option-I

Show or hide the Inspector window

Command-Control-I

Get Summary Info

Command-Option-P

Hide or show the path bar

Command-Option-S

Hide or show the Sidebar

Command-forward slash (/)

Hide or show the status bar

Command-J

Show View Options

Command-K

Connect to Server

Command-L

Make alias of the selected item

Command-N

New Finder window

Command-Shift-N

New folder

Command-Option-N

New Smart Folder

Command-O

Open selected item

Command-R

Show original (of alias)

Command-T

Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window

Command-Shift-T

Show or hide Finder tab

Command-Option-T

Hide or Show Toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window

Command-V

Paste copies of files you’ve placed on the clipboard to the current location.

Command-Option-V

Move the files you’ve placed on the clipboard from their original location to the current location.

Command-Option-Y

View a QuickLook slideshow of your selected files.

Command-1

View as Icon

Command-2

View as List

Command-3

View as Columns

Command-4

View as Cover Flow (Mac OS X v10.5 or later)

Command-Comma (,)

Open Finder preferences

Command-Left Bracket ([)

Go to the previous folder

Command-Right Bracket (])

Go to the next folder

Command-Up Arrow

Open the folder that contains the current folder

Command-Control-Up Arrow

Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window

Command-Down Arrow

Open highlighted item

Right Arrow (in List view)

Open the selected folder

Left Arrow (in List view)

Close the selected folder

Option-click the disclosure triangle (in List view)

Open all folders within the selected folder

Option–double-click

Open a folder in a separate window, closing the current window

Command–double-click

Open a folder in a separate tab or window

Command-click the window title

See the folders that contain the current window

Command-Delete

Move to Trash

Command-Shift-Delete

Empty Trash

Command-Shift-Option-Delete

Empty Trash without confirmation dialog

Space bar (or Command-Y)

Quick Look selected files

Command key while dragging

Move the dragged item to another volume or location
(the pointer changes while key is held)

Option key while dragging

Copy the dragged item
(the pointer changes while key is held)

Command-Option key combination while dragging

Make an alias of the dragged item
(the pointer changes while key is held

About Jeremy Broekman

As an expert in marketing, branding, advertising, social media, graphic design and website development, Jeremy trains corporate, entertainment industry, real estate, start-up and nonprofit C-suite and V-suite executives. Jeremy leads summits and seminars that show professionals how to launch successful marketing campaigns and manage effective promotions. He coaches and consults teams and individuals in the areas of business development, brand strategy and social media. Jeremy is a Spartan racer, charismatic connector and master networker. His presentations are highly motivational and energizing, showing teams how to overcome obstacles and develop a shared vision. Jeremy draws on his experience at Universal Television and Xerox Corporation to train senior managers of Fortune 500 companies.